Only God

Belvan was dead.

His death was a premeditated suicide; he died amid a farewell banquet, and a pre-written suicide note was found by a servant, clearly stating that his death was unrelated to anyone else.

For a vast Kingdom, the death of a scholar was insignificant, akin to a stone thrown into a river, causing only a slight ripple while the river continued to flow.

Aler and others, although surprised by Belvan's death, were pleased to see him go. In their eyes, a scholar like Belvan was unimportant—he was not involved in politics, nor was he a craftsman with knowledge of steam technology; he was merely a minor character. They wanted to judge him merely to exile him from Kaelonde.

Now that Belvan had committed suicide, it had saved them some trouble.

Aler and his associates were now focusing their attacks on the craftsmen who utilized steam technology, and the clans that had prospered thanks to Kafu the Sixth's praise, with the Wood Stone Clan being the prime target.

The Wood Stone Clan had already been resented by the Gold Silver Clan for bringing the "Mechanical Book," and their flaunting of the King's favor had stirred up quite a storm. Coupled with their high regard for themselves and their disregard for other clans, even the Dwarf Craftsmen who mastered steam technology disdained them.

Due to this, the reckoning that befell the Wood Stone Clan was predictable.

The scholars were deeply saddened by Belvan's death—none had expected that Belvan would truly drink poison rather than jest about it. They gathered his body, filled the coffin with spices and petals, and then sealed it, having it transported back to his clan's burial ground, where he would be buried according to Dwarf traditions.

"At least his passing was swift, and he spent his last moments in celebration."

As they watched the coffin being taken away, people consoled each other—they believed that when Belvan died, the Death God's Envoy must have gently kissed his soul, leading it to the Netherworld. As for whether he was headed for the Land of Sighs or the Great Plain, that remained unknown.

Soon after Belvan's death, the scholars were disbanded. After packing their luggage, they were driven out of the city by Dwarf soldiers, each heading to their own homeland, an ordeal that was expected to be fraught with the hardships and dangers of travel.

Nevertheless, on the day of their departure, the scholars were spirited and high-spirited. They realized that they were not merely returning to their birthplaces, but spreading the divine teachings worldwide. Though Aler and his associates ordered all research destroyed, knowledge cannot be destroyed—it is etched in the minds of the people. They memorized everything written on paper, awaiting the day they would pick up pen and paper again.

Without a doubt, Belvan had committed suicide.

He was dead,

but the truth lived on.

Whether it was the power-usurping Aler, the tyrant Kafu the Sixth, the Gold Silver Clan, or even the ascending King Mura, they were all like a sudden storm, a fierce wind, a swift lightning—quickly sweeping across this vast world and vanishing in the blink of an eye, leaving such faint traces on history's beaches that they were washed away by the waves.

Yet, the path of scholarship that Belvan had founded, the research notes he had written, would appear time and again in libraries around the world. The divine path would spread across the globe with the steps of the scholars, thoroughly transforming everything—a new era's dawn was already rising, soon to rule the world.

Everyone would remember—he was not a Prophet, not a Shepherd, nor a Divine.

He was a genius, nothing more.

............

............

Slaier watched helplessly as Kaelonde pulled back from the brink of civil war.

He had hoped for a greater and more enveloping whirlwind of civil war to sweep across the Kingdom; that way, his creation, the "Town of the Dead," would attract more deceased souls, making everything more real.

But now, that expectation had fallen through.

Hiris's intervention had put a stop to Kaelonde's civil war; the entire Kingdom had calmed down. Although tensions still existed, under the authority of the Divine, they were forced to resolve disputes in a more peaceful manner.

Indeed, Hiris's actions had not only foiled the schemes of Sibos and other Divines, but also thoroughly disrupted Slaier's plans.

Facing this situation, unlike Slaier's reaction, his chosen spokesman, Wally, was unusually excited.

"Great, I don't have to engage in those deceptive acts anymore."

Wally shouted inwardly, almost jumping with joy.

Although he was adept at lying and enjoyed it, deceiving living people into the "Town of the Dead" always left him feeling uneasy.

"Alright, alright, I see how happy you are."

Slaier clapped his hands and said to Wally.

Wally suddenly became nervous, pretending to be concerned, he asked,

"So, what should we do now?

Should we pack up ahead of time..."

Slaier gave him a cold glance and asked,

"Do you think we should just run away?"

Wally instinctively shook his head, hesitated for a moment, then nervously nodded.

The god of lies and deceit sneered,

"With matters as they are, how could we simply walk away?

If Kaelonde is no longer an option, then let's relocate this 'Town of the Dead' somewhere else."

Slaier's suggestion shocked Wally.